Children's Hospital Space

PENN STATE UNIVERSITYSPACE USAGEFacilities and AdministrativeFunctional Usage Classifications

Organized Research

Organized Research (OR) includes activities that are sponsored by external sources (federal and non-federal agencies) or are funded internally provided the project is separately budgeted and accounted for by the University under an internal application of institutional funds.

Sponsored Instruction

Instruction funded by a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement. Also includes activities involving the training of individuals in research techniques (commonly called research training).

Instruction

Instruction means the teaching and training activities of an institution. Except for Sponsored Instruction, this term includes all teaching and training activities, whether they are offered for credits toward a degree or certificate or on a non-credit basis, and whether they are offered through regular academic departments or separate divisions, such as a summer school division or an extension division.

Departmental Research

Departmental research means research, development and scholarly activities financed by institutional funds (i.e., general funds, gifts, endowments) that are not organized research and, consequently, are not separately budgeted and accounted for by the University.

These funds are discretionary in nature and no financial reporting process is required. This research may be funded by unrestricted operating budget and/or gift funds. Examples of Departmental Research may include the following:

• Start up funds provided to support the establishment of a new investigator’s laboratory.

• Non-competitive “seed monies” provided by departments for general research initiatives.

Other Institutional Activity

Includes:

• Sponsored activities that are not considered Sponsored Research or Sponsored Instruction per OMB Circular A-21
• Auxiliary Enterprises as discussed below
• Activities whose costs are unallowable to sponsored agreements such as
• Development and fundraising
• Public/alumni relations

Does not include:

• Organized Research
• Sponsored Instruction
• Instruction
• Specialized Service Facility
• F&A cost activities
• Operations and Maintenance
• General Administration
• Departmental Administration
• Sponsored Projects Administration
• Library
• Student Services

Specialized Service Facility

The costs of institutional services involving the use of highly complex or specialized facilities such as electronic computers, wind tunnels, reactors, animal facilities and MCL. Designation of space as specialized service facility requires review by and approval of the Manager of Cost Analysis.

Operations and Maintenance

Please note: “Operations and Maintenance” should NOT be used by the colleges in determining their functional classification of space.

Represents space for the administration, supervision, operations, maintenance, preservation, and protection of the University’s facilities and grounds. Space associated with the following services is included:

• Utilities
• Housekeeping
• Operations and Maintenance shops
• Environmental Health & Safety
• Safety
• Facilities Planning

General Administration

Please note: “General Administration” should NOT be used by the colleges in determining their functional classification of space.

General administration includes administrative offices of the University such as accounting, personnel, purchasing, information centers, and the like that do not related solely to any major division of the institution, i.e., solely to patient care, organized research, education and training, or other institutional activities.

Departmental Administration

Department administration space that is used for administrative and supporting services that benefit common or joint departmental activities or objectives and do not relate solely to any major activity of the department (i.e., solely to Instruction or Organized Research).

Includes:

• Secretarial and clerical support areas such as office supply rooms, etc.
• Conference rooms supporting multiple activities
• Space that supports grant and proposal writing, which would include faculty and other offices where this activity takes place.

Sponsored Projects Administration

Sponsored Projects Administration consists of those departments that are operating units established primarily to administer sponsored projects, including such functions as grant and contract administration (Federal and non-Federal), special security, purchasing, personnel, administration, and editing and publishing of research and other reports. They include the salaries and expenses of the head of such organization, assistants, and immediate staff, together with the salaries and expenses of personnel engaged in supporting activities maintained by the organization, such as stock rooms, stenographic pools, and the like.

Library

Please note: “General Administration” should NOT be used by the colleges in determining their functional classification of space.

Included in this category is space devoted to the operation and administration of the library which are separately budgeted and accounted for.

Student Services

Included in this category is the space devoted to the administration of student affairs and for services to students including functions of the deans of students, admissions, registrar, counseling and placement services, student advisors, student health and infirmary services, etc.

Non-Assignable

Includes space that is vacant, inactive or under renovation.

Also included as non-assignable space is “common space”. This includes any area used primarily in support of the assignable areas of a building and would include circulation areas (hallways, stairs, etc.) mechanical areas (electrical closets, HVAC support rooms, etc.) and building service areas (public rest rooms, etc.). Under normal circumstances this space will be assigned to an Office of Physical Plant budget.

Auxiliary Enterprises

This category includes activities supported by income derived from services operated primarily to serve students, faculty, or staff. These services include residence halls, food services, and intercollegiate athletics.

Applied Research Laboratory/Electro-Optics Center

Space occupied by programs and support functions of the Applied Research Laboratory and Electro-Optics Center.

Questions

For further guidance, refer to 2 CFR 220 (formerly Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-21), which can be accessed on the Web at the following Office of Sponsored Programs site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/index.html

If you have questions about F&A functions, please contact Cost Analysis Department personnel, 300 James Elliott Building, 814-865-1914:

Kimberly Croft Jennifer Rowles

Cost Analysis ManagerAssistant Manager

Bill Ridgway Mike Blehi

Senior Indirect Cost AnalystIndirect Cost Analyst